The best part is that Bruce and his dad and brother's were finally all able to be together. It has been 18 1/2 years since they were last together.
Some highlights from Johannesburg:
We are driving a van that the blacks use as a taxi. So everywhere we go there are black people on the side of the road who hold out their hands making a sign as to where they want to go. Our kids keep wanting us to stop and pick them up. Our car is full - but not as full as a black taxi! Jaden asked today "Why are there so many black people here?" It is a bit of culture shock to be in the minority race.
Another highlight: We went to visit Bruce's mother's grave at the cemetary and then went to the Johannesburg temple to take the kids to do baptisms for Bruce's mom's family. It was a 4 hour event at the temple - but an amazing experience. We were there with people who had flown from Madagascar, Congo, Uganda and a ward who had driven 9 hours and saved for 2 years to come and spend 3 days at the temple. We visited with and learned a lot from them. It was a highlight of our trip. (Especially watching Bruce baptize a several hundred pound - very large black man from Congo).
Today we drove a part of the country that was new to us. My favorite part is the shanty towns. It amazes me to see how people live.
Everywhere we go there are people on the side of the road (and often in the middle of the road) trying to sell something - anything. People are always walking and gathering wood, carrying things on their heads, and babies on their backs.
For me this is a reminder of how blessed I am - I have so much. There is so much that I take for granted every day. But, these people are happy - it is not things that bring happiness.
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